Editor’s note: Women’s Conference attendees told the following stories during the Sunday plenary program, after they were selected among the stories members told during Saturday breakout sessions of “Our Voice, Our Power.”
Rivera
Wallkill Central School District Unit President Samanta Rivera noticed that in comparison to neighboring school districts, salaries at her district were significantly lower, which harmed recruitment and retention of employees.
“I thought, ‘The salaries were really, really low and we have a lot of moms working for us and I don’t feel they make enough money,’” said Rivera. “We kept losing workers and workers came up to me and told me they need to make more money.”
Rivera decided to take action, but in doing so, faced her own challenges.
“I feel that people still discriminate because I am a woman and because I have an accent, and I think they feel I can’t do this job, but I can,” said Rivera, who speaks English as a second language.
While her efforts failed with one district official, she soon encountered the superintendent in a school hallway and urged him to take action.
The superintendent was sympathetic. District officials and our union soon reopened the contract and reached agreement on salary increases.
Rivera noted that the district is still struggling to fill openings, but she is proud.
“It’s been a really hard path, but we are working together,” said Rivera. “Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it was baby steps for me.”
